Taliban office in Qatar should be closed if the group pursues violence: Ghani

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has said the Taliban office in Qatar should be closed if the group pursues violence.

During a meeting with the Qatar foreign minister, President Ghani said sanctions should also be applied on the group if no breakthrough was made in bring the leaders of the group to negotiations table.

He said the main priority is that the group abandon violence and participate in peace process.

President Ghani further added that the findings of the Afghan government reveals the group was involved in Kandahar attack which was plotted by the group’s leadership council.

In his turn, Qatar’s foreign minister said there is no justification for violence and his government is committed to continue to its efforts to help bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Dozens of people were killed or wounded after an explosive device planted in a government compound went off in Kandahar city last month.

At least five UAE diplomats, several Afghan officials, including deputy governor of Kandahar were killed in the attack.

The UAE ambassador to Afghanistan Juma Al Kaabi was also wounded in the attack who later succumbed to his injuries.